1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to ablation device placement during targeted ablation and more particularly to a spacer for establishing the spacing between ablation devices during such ablation procedures.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cryosurgical probes are used to destroy living tissue by thermally manipulating a cryoprobe to extreme temperatures by using freezing and heating cycles. Similarly, other ablative devices such as RF probes are used to ablate the tissue. Currently cryosurgical probes are incorporated into computer guided cryosurgery systems wherein the systems calculate the optimal placement for the cryoprobes into diseased tissue. Entry position grids are typically utilized for aiding the user in locating the approximate entry point of cryoprobe into the patient during a cryosurgical procedure. U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,632, issued to W. F. Whitmore III, for example, discloses an example of a sterile disposable template grid system for positioning and implanting medical implants.
However, there are certain deficiencies with respect to the use of such entry position grids. These grids define fixed patterns for probe placement and therefore restrict the user to a limited number of insertion distances. As a result, anatomy is not accounted for such as adjacent organs, blood vessels and bone.
There is a need to provide greater flexibility in spacing ablation devices so as to be commensurate with recent improvements in computer guided cryosurgery systems.